Question Find my device (kid)

[hw_user]

It's summer time and the kids will be all over the place outside. I am planning to give my 10 year old kid a cell phone (or a watch) so that I can see his real time location for safety. I am confused with all the marketing stuff on the web and most of them don't even mention that a monthly subscription is required or if internet connection is needed. After reading some materials, I know that the cell phone or the watch must be GPS enabled and it need a way to communicate back to me who wants to get its location. I think most cell phone are GPS enabled. I came across a web page talking a bout an app that can send a SMS message to the kids phone and get it's location. But I cannot find that app anywhere. I like to know if anyone has found something that works. What I like to do are

1. Get the kids location without subscription
2. Know the location close to real time
3. My kids phone has a SIM card but without data plan (i.e. not internet)

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Barty1884]

Any chance there's an iPhone/iPad/Mac in your household? If so, an Airtag is probably the easiest implementation. There's no data connection required, and will use the Apple ecosystem to geolocate, which is why I ask about it specifically - wider adoption, less 'blind spots'..

There are precursors & competitors, like Tile and some others, but I'm not too familiar with them.

 

[hw_user]

Any chance there's an iPhone/iPad/Mac in your household? If so, an Airtag is probably the easiest implementation. There's no data connection required, and will use the Apple ecosystem to geolocate, which is why I ask about it specifically - wider adoption, less 'blind spots'..

There are precursors & competitors, like Tile and some others, but I'm not too familiar with them.

No iPhone, Android only. But I thought that Airtag has a distant limit. How does it talk to your iPhone when there is no internet connection and too far away ?

 

[Barty1884]

No iPhone, Android only. But I thought that Airtag has a distant limit. How does it talk to your iPhone when there is no internet connection and too far away ?

I'm not 100% sure of the connection in use, but it connects to the greater iPhone (maybe iPads too) community. As long as they're in proximity of someone with an iPhone, it's trackable. That's my understanding anyway.

Defeats the purpose of needing to be near your iPhone if it's marketed to attach to your keys, or put in your car etc incase of loss/stolen.

Worst-case, you could still have an Apple account* and track via a browser on any device.
*I do believe you need an iPhone to complete the initial setup, but not for it's use day-to-day. I'd imagine there's someone in your life with an iPhone, if you choose to go down this route.


To be clear, I'm not advocating as Apple being the only solution here - I'm an Android guy myself.
There are alternatives, but I see the biggest benefit being the widespread adoption of compatible devices to form the network. Tile etc do the same thing, but believe they require use of their app to build their network. Many, many more iPhones in the world than there are Tile app users, for example.

 

[Gam3r01]

No iPhone, Android only. But I thought that Airtag has a distant limit. How does it talk to your iPhone when there is no internet connection and too far away ?

Air tags actually ping the bluetooth signal off any apple device nearby, so a complete strangers devices actually receive the BT signal then send its location to the cloud, to you.
Apple encrypts the data.
Im personally an android guy, and that prospect of relying on others devices, while unique, is somewhat concerning. (just to me, its probably fine though).

As for your scenario, its going to be somewhat difficult without an active internet connected device, so Im not sure I have any suggestions at this time.

 

[Alabalcho]

Apple released Android app for their AirTag's. This solution will work if there is cellphone coverage at the place AirTag is deployed, but it is same limitation if you give your kid a GPS-enabled phone.

 

[hw_user]

Thanks for the responses. I did some research on the topic. There are blue tooth devices out there similar to Air Tag that works with Android apps. But that will depends on if there are other similar device around to report the location back to cloud. But that may not give you the kids latest location, I have no intention to spy on my kids. We had two occasions that got our entire family worried. One time he forgot to look at the clock or he had no watch, He was late for almost an hour. Another time he followed his friend home and he thought that he can remember his way home. But he did not. He was lost. He bike around blocks and blocks of houses until he finally saw a school that he kind of remember and finally got home . I am sure you understand how we feel in that two situations. So what we need is not to track where he has been to. But be able to tell where he is to ensure his safety. I think giving him an old cell phone may be an easy solution. The only concern is he may not answer the call because more than likely the cell phone is in his bag or he is too busy playing with his friends and can not hear the phone ring.

 

[punkncat]

Um.

Turn on location within Google and track in real time. All you need is sign in and pass info. Easy peasy. Can do the same thing with Apple products but not nearly as versed in that any longer.

 

[Corwin65]

Um.

Turn on location within Google and track in real time. All you need is sign in and pass info. Easy peasy. Can do the same thing with Apple products but not nearly as versed in that any longer.

Won't work as the OP has stated - "My kids phone has a SIM card but without data plan (i.e. not internet"

 

[punkncat]

Won't work as the OP has stated - "My kids phone has a SIM card but without data plan (i.e. not internet"

I must have missed that aspect. How should anything work without data?

 

[Corwin65]

I'd recommend turning on data on your child's phone. That gives you multiple options.

 

[hw_user]

Just want to share my research progress with others who may be interested.
After doing some more look around, I found the SMS locator App (WHIZZ). I need to have the App install on my phone and my son's phone. So he is aware that the APP is there (no spying). Using the App, I can request his location by sending a SMS The App on his phone is suppose to wake up and reply automatically with a SMS containing his location. His location will be shown on the map. But I cannot get it to work reliably. It works the first couple of time during my tests. I gave it to my son for a real test and it stop sending reply automatically. The SMS record shows that it received the request. But I never got the reply.
I am comparing the costs. I am in Canada, Cheapest data plan on top of voice and text is about $10 per month. For that price, I may as well subscribe to those find my kid plans. Consider that this only needed during the Summer months, it is not cheap just for that purpose.